This is an odd topic. It doesn't really have anything to do with the mechanics of any of these, how to run them as the DM, or how to play them as a player. Rather, I'm trying to come up with a collective term for all three for the purposes of a side-project of mine.

So what do you guys think? If you had to come up with a term that encompassed the broad thematic idea of all three, what would it be?

If you're unsure what I mean, think about Career being the collective term that defines the various primary roles of destined characters in the universe, or Specialization being the collective term for avenues of practice and expertise in a specific field or craft. I'm looking for a similar term for O.D.M.

Character narrative progression stat.

Just now, 2P51 said:

Character narrative progression stat.

Certainly descriptive, but ideally something a bit shorter / snappier. Implementing Narrative is good. Maybe "Narrative Drives"? "Personal Narratives"?

Given the differences between the 3 I think accurate is more applicable. Obligation, Duty, and Morality, are simultaneously able to convey a feeling as to the differences between them, as well as "snappier". Narrative result stat, gameplay quotient, decision aftermath integer, in the end you've still gotta read the details of each.

"That stuff that Genesys dropped."

I've just been calling it the ODM.

"The very first things I axed".

We honestly scrapped the system and went with a standard "Motivation" system. I ask my players what their character wants, and what they are willing to do to get there. That way we don't have to worry about the numbers or anything.

Motivations Enforced Mechanically

MEM

Influences.

They are the core mechanic

Add in Motivation, and call them Personality Traits.

D.O.M

20 hours ago, HappyDaze said:

"That stuff that Genesys dropped."

Until we got Favors with SotB....

21 hours ago, Smog said:

This is an odd topic. It doesn't really have anything to do with the mechanics of any of these, how to run them as the DM, or how to play them as a player. Rather, I'm trying to come up with a collective term for all three for the purposes of a side-project of mine.

So what do you guys think? If you had to come up with a term that encompassed the broad thematic idea of all three, what would it be?

If you're unsure what I mean, think about Career being the collective term that defines the various primary roles of destined characters in the universe, or Specialization being the collective term for avenues of practice and expertise in a specific field or craft. I'm looking for a similar term for O.D.M.

Given they all represent different things, this is a tall order. Perhaps having it work like Morality with being above a certain threshold indicating a positive position and anything below indicating a negative position would suffice? It really sounds like perhaps you're trying to boil it down past its quintessence, which will invariably render parts of it nonfunctional. Maybe a couple measures really is the way to accomplish this.

1 minute ago, themensch said:

Given they all represent different things, this is a tall order. Perhaps having it work like Morality with being above a certain threshold indicating a positive position and anything below indicating a negative position would suffice? It really sounds like perhaps you're trying to boil it down past its quintessence, which will invariably render parts of it nonfunctional. Maybe a couple measures really is the way to accomplish this.

Pretty sure you're misunderstanding the request. I'm not trying to merge them into a single mechanic. This has nothing to do with the mechanics or gameplay aspects of them at all. I'm simply looking for a descriptive term that encompasses all three for the purposes of a pseudo-primer I'm writing up.

Driving force

52 minutes ago, Varlie said:

Driving force

Drives.

1 minute ago, Stan Fresh said:

Drives.

Motivations.

Just now, Yaccarus said:

Motivations.

There's already a trait by that name in the game.

Optional Game Tools

1 hour ago, Smog said:

Pretty sure you're misunderstanding the request. I'm not trying to merge them into a single mechanic. This has nothing to do with the mechanics or gameplay aspects of them at all. I'm simply looking for a descriptive term that encompasses all three for the purposes of a pseudo-primer I'm writing up.

Aha, yes, I did misunderstand then. My apologies. I would call them "Influencers" as they are external sources of motivation, (maybe) different from the character's own inherent motivations.

Got some good recommendations in here, everyone; thank you very much. I really like "drives" and "influences", and I'll likely use one of them or some combination there-of. We're probably good to let the thread die at this point. Cheers!

Why the hate on ODM? Too much work? Not fun for players who have their number come up?

I find them to be very fun elements to a character's full story.

1 hour ago, colinkun said:

Why the hate on ODM? Too much work? Not fun for players who have their number come up?

I find them to be very fun elements to a character's full story.

Obligation, properly used, is rather fun for players. Using it properly makes it work much like the Favors system from SotB (Genesys Android book) and not a "you did something bad, here's a heap of Obligation" mess that even some adventure writers fed into.

Duty is simply dull side mission rewards.

Morality has a problem in that it tries to take individual and internal character issues and bring them out to be externally handled by the group (because it is a group game).